Rotary engine.



No. 764,247, PATENTED JULY 5, 1904.

H. H. LIEMKE.

ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 21, 1903. N0 MODEL. 3 SHEBTS-SHEET 1.

No. 764,274. PATENTED JULY 5, 1904. L. DE VAUX.

REFRIGERATOR.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.17. 1903.

N0 MODEL. 2 snsms-snnm- 2.

H. H. LIEMKE.

PATBNTED JULY 5, 1904.

ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLIOATION FILED NOV. 2

N0 MODEL.

llll

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

Patented. July 5, 1904.

. PATENT OFFICE.

HERMAN H. LIEMKE, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

ROTARY ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 764,247, dated July 5, 1904.

Application filed November 21, 1903. Serial No. 182,088. (No model.)

To all w/wm, it imty concern:

Be it known that I, HERMAN H. LIEM'KE, a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Louis, in the State of Missouri, have invented a new and useful Improvement in'Rotary Engincs,of which the followingis a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in rotary engines adapted to be driven by steam, compressed air, gasolene, or analogous force, preferably steam, and has for its object to insure a uniform continuous movement of the piston along a circular path concentric with the drive-shaft, to provide simple means for admitting and exhausting the steam to and from the cylinder of the engine and for expanding the steam therein, and to enable the engine to be readily reversed.

The invention consists in features of novelty, as hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, Whereon Figure 1 is a front elevation of my improved rotary engine; Fig. 2, a side elevation thereof, and Fig. 3 a top plan of the same; Fig. 4, a horizontal section through the engine on line 4 4 in Fig. 1; Fig. 5, a vertical transverse section through the engine on line 5 5 in Fig. 6 looking from the right; Fig. 6, a vertical longitudinal section on line 6 6 in Figs. 1 and 5 looking from the left; Fig. 7, a horizontal section through the cylinder of the engine on line 4 4 in Fig. 1, showing the cylindercovers and contained parts of the engine in top plan; Fig. 8, a section through the peripheral wall of the cylinder and combined parts thereat, broken away, on line 8 Sin Fig. 5, showing a face view of one of the pistons; Fig. 9, an outer edge view of the piston shown in Fig. 8, omitting the cylinder-wall thereat; and Fig. 10, a similar View to Fig. 9, showing a modification of the piston; Fig. 11, an inside view of the cover to the front end of the cylinder, and Fig. 12 a side or edge view thereof; Fig. 13, a longitudinal view of the valve preferably used for admitting and exhausting the steam to and from the cylinder, and Figs. 14 and 15 cross-sections thereof on lines 14 14 and 15 15, respectively, in Fig. 13 looking from the right or rear end of the valve; Fig. 16, an inside view of the cover to the rear end of the cylinder; Fig. 17, a side or edge view thereof; Fig. 18, a rear end elevation, to reduced scale, of the circular disk seen in Fig. 5 detached; and Fig. 19, a top plan or edge view of the same.

Like letters and numerals of reference denote like parts in all the figures.

(t represents a circular disk which is axially fixed on a shaft 7) and adapted to revolve within a cylinder or casing c, the latter being closed at its front and rear ends by the covers (Z and (Z, respectively, through which the drive-shaft 7) centrally projectaas shown. The cylinder 0 is preferably provided with legs 1, whereby it is supported in an upright position diametrically.

The middle peripheral portion 52 of the disk at is in steam-tight contact circumferentiz'illy with the inside of the cylinder 0, while between the middle portion 2 and the end faces 3 of the disk a, which are in steam-tight con tact with the covers (Z cl, the disk at is diametrically reduced, so as to form two equal and opposite annular spaces c c thcreat between the disk a and the adjacent parts of the cylinder wall and covers (Z d.

On the inner face of the front cylindercover (Z is formed a circular ann ular-faced rib 4, which corresponds diametrically with and projects into the annular space (1, the rib 4 at its highest part entirely filling and bearing steam-tight against the inclosing or engaged parts of the cylinder 0 and disk rt, forming the said space thereat, and thence gradually inclined on each side of its highest part to its lowest part, where the rib 4 terminates or is flush with the inner face of the cover (I and clear of the space (1. Similarly on the inner face of the rear eylinder-cover (Z is a circular annular-faced rib 5, which corresponds with and projects into the annular space (1', the rib 5 at its highest part being flush with the in nor face of the cover of and clear of the space 0 and thence gradually inclined on each side of its highest part to its lowest part, which entirely fills and bears steam-tight against the inclosing parts of the cylinder 0 and disk It, forming the space c thcreat. By this arrangement it is to be noted that the projecting faces of the ribs 4: and 5 are opposite and parallel to each other throughout their entire circuit, also that the front annular space is gradually enlarged from Zero at the highest part of the rib 1 to its full sectional area at the lowest part of the rib i, and that, vice versa, the rear annular space '0 is gradually reduced from its full sectional area at the highestpart of the rib to zero at the lowest part of the rib 5.

f f f represent the pistons, which are preferably three in number and arranged at equal distances apart around the disk (4. Each pistonf(f f) is preferably composed of a series of rectangular-shaped plates 6, which are arranged side by side against each other and adapted to reciprocate in a plane at right angles to the path of the piston and steamtight through a slot 7 formed in the middle peripheral portion 2 of the disk a, Figs. 5, 8,

'9, 18, and 19, the length of each piston f, the

ends of which butt steam-tight against the projecting faces of the ribs 4 and 5, respectively, being equal to the distance between the said faces. The bottom or inner edge 8 of the piston f is adapted to slide in notches or recesses 9, which are formed in the periphery of the diametrically-reduced end portions 3 of the disk (I/ and are practically continuations of the bottom or inner portion of the slot 7 thereat, whereby steam is prevented from passing from one side of the piston f to the other between its inner edge 8 and the disk (4 and allowance made for the wear of the outer edge of the piston f, which is in steam-tight contact with the wall of the cylinder c. e

Fig. 10 shows a modification of the piston f, in which the middle plate 6 is made in two parts, having an intermediate spring 11, which maintains the outer ends of the said parts steam-tight against the faces of the ribs 4 and 5 or inner faces of the covers (Z d, as the case may be, and takes up wear.

For admitting and exhausting the steam to and from the annular spaces 0 0 ports 12 and 12, opening into the said spaces, are formed through the projecting faces of the ribs 1 and 5 and communicate with passages 13 13, respectively, extending through the cylindercovers (Z d" to the lower part of a longitudinally-arranged cylindrical chamber in which is fitted and adapted to be rotated a cylindrical valve h, the. construction and operation of which are now described with reference particularly only to the admission of steam to the annular space a for rotating the pistons ff f and disk 0 in the direction of the arrow shown by full lines in Fig. 5.

As 'seen particularly in Figs. 5, 13, and 14, a passage 15 is formed diagonally through the front end portion of the valve 7L and communicates at its upper end with the branch of a bifurcated passage 2'2 communicating with the steam-supply pipe Zr, and at its lower end with the passage 13, whereby steam passes through the passages 15 13 and ports 12 into the annular space 6 between that part thereof which is closed by the highest part of the rib 1 and the piston f and between the latter and the succeeding piston f. Simultaneously the ports 12 and passage 13 are in communication with a space 16, which is formed in the front end portion of the chamber 9 adjacent to the inlet-passage 15 by a segmental cutaway portion of the valve in thereat. Opening from the space 16 through the wall of the chamber 9 is an exhaust-passage 17, which communicates with a common exhaust-pipe 18, whereby the steam contained in the annular space a between its closed portion at the highest part of the rib i and the piston f and between the latter and the piston f is exhausted through the ports 12, passage 13, space 16, and passage 17, so that, in conjunction with the steam entering the rear annular space 6, as hereinafter more particularly referred to, a continuous rotation of the pistonsfff, with the disk (4 and shaft 5, is effected and maintained. Similarly by a second diagonal passage 15', formed through the opposite or rear end portion of the valve h and in communication with the branch of the steam-supply pipe is and with the passage 13, and by a second segmental space 16 in the chamber g thereat steam is admitted to and exhausted from the annular space 6 through the ports and passages 12 12 and 13 13, respectively, of the rear cylinder-cover d, the exhaust-steam passing from the space 16 through an exhaustpassage 19 (shown bydotted lines in Figs. 3 and 6) and thence through the common exhaust-pipe 18.

Opposite to the exhaust-passages 17 and 19 are similar exhaust-passages 17 and 19, which open from the chamber g into the common exhaust-pipe 18 and are closed by the solid portions of the valve h when the latter is in the position shown in Fig. 5 and the pistons f f f rotating in the direction ofthe arrow, as described.

On partially rotating the valve h by its stem 20 and handle 21 the passage 15 is brought into communication with ,the passage 13 and the branch 2" of the steam-supply pipe and the segmental space 16 into communication with the passage 13 and exhaust-passage 17. Also the passage 15 is brought into communication with the branch y" of the steam-supply pipe k and with the passage 13in the rear cover (Z and the segmental space 16 into communication with the passage 13 and exhaust-passage 19, whereby the pistons f f f, with the disk a and shaft 7), are rotated in the opposite direction to that indicated by the arrow in Fig. 5 or the engine reversed.

As previously stated, the pistons fff hear at their ends against the projecting faces of the ribs 4 and 5, which being inclined and parallel to each other while the disk a conthe ribs 4 and 5.

stantly rotates in the same vertical plane the pistons ff" f are consequently reciprocated through the slots 7 in a plane at right angles to the path of the pistons while traveling along the ribs 4 and 5, and in so doing the area of each piston acted upon by the steam is confined to that portion thereof exposed between the middle peripheral portion 2 of the disk (0 and the faces of the ribs 4 and 5, respectively, and varies according to the position of the piston during its rotation between the said faces--that is to say, when a piston is at the top of the cylinder 0 opposite to the maximum projection of the rib 4 the full area of the piston is exposed to the action of the steam within the annular space 0 and when the piston is at the bottom or opposite to the maximum projection of the rib 5 the full area of the piston is exposed to the steam within the space a, and so on-the exposed areas of the piston within the spaces 6 0' being more or less, respectively, during its travel between the top and bottom parts of (See I Fig. 4.) By this means the ribs 4 and 5 at the parts of their maximum projection from the cylindercovers d d serve as abutments for the steam in lieu of moving devices therefor, and thereby simplify the construction of the engine.

For cutting off and expanding the steam admitted to the spaces a e at desired parts of the rotation of the pistons ff f I preferably insert within the steam-supply pipe Ir: a cut-elf device, which in the present case consists of a small upright cylinder Z, through which is adapted to slide steam-tight a plunger m, havinga series of annular recesses 22, which correspond in width with the opening through the steam-pipe k and are separated from each other by solid portions 23 of the plunger m, preferably of the same Width, re spectively, as the recesses 22, (more or less.) The plunger m is reciprocated vertically by a pitman a, having a yoke 24 at its lower end which is engaged by a crank-pin 0, fixed on the front end of the drive-shaft 5, whereby on the rotation of the latter and consequent reciprocation of the plunger at its recesses 22 and solid intermediate portions 23 alternately open and close the steam-pipe is and in so doing cause the steam within the annular spaces a e of the cylinder 0 to be expanded, or, if preferred, any other suitable device may be used for alternately opening and closing the steam-pipe it.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a rotary engine, the combination of a cylinder, a cover to each end of the cylinder, a shaft passing centrally through the cylinder and mounted in hearings in the said covers, a circular disk axially fixed on the shaft within the cylinder and adapted to rotate in peripheral contact therewith, the said disk having diametrically-reduced end portions facially in contact with the said covers and forming therewith and with the adjacent parts of the cylinder two opposite annular spaces concentric with the said shaft, two opposite and inclined ribs having annular faces and projecting from said covers into the said spaces, a piston slidably held in a slot through the peripheral portion of the disk at right angles to the plane of rotation, the outer edge and ends of the piston bearing against the cylinder and the said faces respectively, openings in the said faces and means for admitting and exhausting steam through the said openings to and from the said spaces, substantially as described.

2. In a rotary engine, the combination of a cylinder closed at each end and having an inlet and exhaust port respectively, a piston within the cylinder, a passage from the said ports respectively to the steam-supply pipe and the exhaust-pipe, means for admitting and exhausting the steam to and from the said passages, an upright cylinder having an opening therefrom into thesteam-supply pipe, a plunger adapted to slide through the upright cylinder and having parallel circumferential annular recesses, and means for reciprocating the plunger, substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.

In witness whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HERMAN I-I. LIEMKE.

Witnesses EDWARD W. FURRELL, J. M. BENBOW. 

